Turtle Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe (2024)

Turtle Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe (1)

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I can usually avoid desserts, but cheesecake is my weakness. I can’t be in the same room with a cheesecake and not just have to have some. It was love at first bite for me, and it’s a love affair I’m happy to say is still alive and well. That’s why when I saw a recipe for Turtle Pumpkin Cheesecake on the cover of a store circular, I knew I just had to make it.

I’m glad I did. The result was an intensely mousse-like custard with the subtle flavor of a pumpkin pie covered in melting vanilla ice cream. And you don’t need any ice cream! This really is one for the “go-to” list of recipes, especially if you’re looking for an alternative to pumpkin pie for the holidays.

A word of warning though. This is a massive cheesecake. You probably won’t want to make this unless you’ve either got help polishing it off, or you’re addicted to the gym. It’s good enough that you won’t be able to stop eating it, and according to the information on the unmodified version, each slice is going to cost you about a quarter of a recommended daily caloric intake. (My version is most definitely higher in calories.)

This thing is like pumpkin flavored crack. It’s addictive. You have been warned.

Now, where’s my dessert plate?

*Note Te caramel sauce recipe can be found here, or you can just use any old caramel sauce you like.

Turtle Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe (2)

Yield: 16 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Quite possibly the perfect fall dessert, this Turtle Pumpkin Cheesecake is completely decadent, smooth and creamy beyond belief. I dare you to take just one bite!

Ingredients

Crust:

  • 1 1/2 cups chocolate animal cracker crumbs (about 30 crackers)
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
  • 4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 5 eggs

Topping:

  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • 3 ounces dark chocolate, roughly chopped
  • 1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 cup Caramel Bourbon Vanilla Sauce

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 300 degrees. Wrap foil around sides and bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan. Spray bottom and sides of pan with cooking spray or grease with shortening. In a small bowl, mix animal cracker crumbs and melted butter. press mixture on bottom and one inch up sides of pan. Set aside.
  2. In another small bowl, mix flour, pumpkin pie spice and pumpkin. Set aside. In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat cream cheese at medium speed until smooth and creamy. Gradually beat in brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time at low speed just until blended. Beat in pumpkin mixture until smooth. Pour liquid over crust.
  3. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 25 minutes or until outside of cake is set but center still jiggles slightly when shaken. Run a knife around edge of pan to loosen the cheesecake. Turn oven off and prop door open at least four inches. Allow to rest in the oven for at least 30 minutes.
  4. Cool pan on cooling rack for an additional 30 minutes. Refrigerate at least six hours before serving.
  5. Just before serving, run knife around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake, remove side of pan. Sprinkle walnuts over top of cheesecake. In a small microwave-safe bowl, microwave chocolate and vegetable oil uncovered on High (100%) for 1 minute to 1 minute and 30 seconds, stirring once halfway through, until melted. Drizzle chocolate over walnuts. Drizzle with Caramel Sauce.
  6. Share and Enjoy!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

16

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 346Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 72mgSodium: 118mgCarbohydrates: 48gFiber: 2gSugar: 43gProtein: 5g


What I would have done differently had I thought of it at the time:

Could have used a little nutmeg. It had more than enough cowbell. This is GOOD!

Links to other recipes like this:

Related Posts

  1. Turtle Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe (9)

    Peter on November 26, 2008 at 6:05 am

    Jerry, what a site! I do hope for the sake of your family that you serve this up for Thanksgiving…I’d certainly want a slab!

    Reply

  2. Turtle Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe (10)

    Bellini Valli on November 26, 2008 at 11:51 am

    Turtle Cheesecake is my daughters favourite and usually a request for her birthday!!

    Reply

  3. Turtle Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe (11)

    Carla on January 17, 2010 at 10:49 am

    This was to DIE FOR! YUMMMMMM!

    Reply

  4. Turtle Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe (12)

    Jerry on May 11, 2010 at 8:14 am

    @peter,
    We gave most of it to the troops in the dorms. One slice each for the wife and myself…

    @Bellini Valli,
    I don’t wonder at that!

    @Carla,
    Yep. That about sums it up

    Reply

  5. Turtle Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe (13)

    Cookin' Canuck on November 16, 2010 at 8:53 am

    This is one of the most beautiful cheesecakes I have ever seen! What a treat this would be at Thanksgiving (or any other time).

    Reply

    • Turtle Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe (14)

      Jerry on November 19, 2010 at 10:16 am

      It is, in a word, amazing. My wife is not a pumpkin fan and even she loved it.

      Reply

  6. Turtle Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe (16)

    Leslie on November 23, 2011 at 9:27 am

    I just put mine in the oven! I can’t wait to serve it tomorrow!

    Reply

    • Turtle Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe (17)

      Jerry on November 23, 2011 at 2:52 pm

      I hope it turns out wonderfully for you!

      Reply

  7. Turtle Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe (18)

    April @ The 21st Century Housewife on January 25, 2013 at 12:10 pm

    Oh. My. Goodness. What a wonderful Cheesecake! I love the combination of flavours you have used here. I’ve pinned it to try as soon as possible :)

    Reply

  8. Turtle Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe (19)

    PKSH on October 10, 2013 at 10:34 pm

    I am going to make this this weekend and I was reading how to make the caramel sauce and just a bit confused on when to put the whiskey and lemon juice?
    I dont see it in the instructions or maybe my computer load it correctly.
    Can someone please tell when to add these two items.
    Thank you and very excited to try this.

    Reply

    • Turtle Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe (20)

      Jerry on October 11, 2013 at 4:22 pm

      Add the whiskey and lemon juice after adding the cream (step 2 of the instructions). Do NOT attempt to add them beforehand. The result could be dangerous.

      Reply

  9. Turtle Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe (21)

    Mrsdasilva on October 19, 2013 at 12:12 pm

    Did you bake the cheesecake in a water bath? Did I miss that step somewhere?

    Reply

    • Turtle Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe (22)

      Jerry on October 19, 2013 at 3:24 pm

      Nope. No water bath necessary for this cheesecake. Yet another reason I love the recipe

      Reply

  10. Turtle Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe (23)

    Tiffyc on November 1, 2013 at 8:49 pm

    Probably a dumb ? But I am assuming the foil goes on the inside of the pan?

    Reply

    • Turtle Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe (24)

      Jerry on November 4, 2013 at 3:27 pm

      Outside, actually :)

      Reply

  11. Turtle Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe (25)

    Sonja on November 26, 2013 at 8:47 am

    Could you give me a suggestion for what to use in place of the bourbon…something other than liquor since I never have any in the house? Do you think vanilla would work well or some rum extract?

    Reply

    • Turtle Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe (26)

      Jerry on November 26, 2013 at 9:59 am

      Rum extract would be perfect. We’ve done it that way ourselves. It does change the flavor slightly, but that’s not a bad thing

      Reply

  12. Turtle Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe (27)

    Lesley on November 27, 2013 at 9:32 am

    Could not find chocolate animal crackers any where. So what would u suggest ginger snaps or gram crackers or Oreos with out the cream of course.

    Reply

  13. Turtle Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe (28)

    Goreti on November 29, 2013 at 7:25 am

    Made this for Thanksgiving and it is absolutely delicious. It was a big hit. The only change I made was use a mix of dark & milk chocolate since my family is not too keen on dark chocolate. I also used heavy cream instead of oil making it like ganache. I actually passed up on some of the side dishes to save calories but for this little beauty. It was worth every calorie. Yummmmmmm

    Reply

    • Turtle Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe (29)

      Jerry on November 29, 2013 at 7:53 pm

      We’re so glad you liked it! I hope your family enjoyed it as much as ours did.

      Reply

  14. Turtle Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe (30)

    Mary on November 23, 2016 at 1:18 am

    I make this cheesecake every Thanksgiving and sometimes for birthdays. My husband, daughter, & sister LOVE LOVE LOVE this cheesecake, but now I’ve lost the recipe – desperately need it for this Thanksgiving; can you please email the recipe at least this way I’ll have an electronic copy.

    Many Thanks,
    Mary Utter

    Reply

    • Turtle Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe (31)

      Jerry on December 7, 2016 at 11:02 am

      Mary,
      So glad this recipe has become a part of your household. I’ll send a copy of the recipe to you in a few minutes.

      Reply

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Turtle Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why do they call turtle cheesecake turtle cheesecake? ›

This cheesecake, using caramel, chocolate, and nuts, is named after Turtles, a confection developed in the United States by Johnson's Candy Company in 1918, so named because the shape of the treat resembles a turtle.

What's in Turtle cheesecake ice cream? ›

MILK, CREAM, CANE SYRUP, CHEESECAKE BASE (CORN SYRUP, WATER, NATURAL FLAVOR, DEHYDRATED BAKER'S CHEESE [NONFAT DRY MILK, LACTIC ACID, CULTURES], BUTTERMILK POWDER, SUGAR), SALTY CARAMEL (CORN SYRUP, SWEETENED CONDENSED WHOLE MILK,[MILK, SUGAR], HEAVY CREAM[MILK], WATER, BUTTER[CREAM(MILK), SALT], SEA SALT, SOY LECITHIN ...

What is the turtle flavor? ›

Three ingredients that can perk up any palate or day, Turtles ® clusters are bursting with crunchy pecans, creamy caramel, and all wrapped up in luscious chocolate. The taste of the original caramel nut cluster is made to delight.

Who made the original turtle candy? ›

The chocolate turtle today is a trademarked candy from Chicago's DeMet's Candy Company. However, candy history tells us that the "turtle" originated in San Francisco during the early 1900s. The chocolate candy with caramel and pecans was the creation of a candy chef named Louis Gordon Hooper.

What is dirty turtle ice cream? ›

In case you are wondering what "Dirty Turtle Ice Cream" is... it is pure chocolate, caramel and pecan ice cream bliss! Turtles are a candy with caramel and pecans dipped in chocolate and I have always been a big fan of them since I was a little girl.

What is in Turtle cheesecake from Culvers? ›

Creamy Cheesecake Fresh Frozen Custard swirled with ribbons of old fashioned salted caramel, chopped Dove® Chocolate pieces, toasted pecan pieces and rich cheesecake pieces.

What is turtle flavor Baskin Robbins? ›

Premium Churned Reduced-Fat, No Sugar Added Caramel Turtle Truffle Ice Cream. Reduced fat vanilla flavored ice cream packed with caramel-filled milk chocolate turtles and a caramel ribbon.

Why do they call the candy turtles turtles? ›

Turtles were developed in 1918 by Johnson's Candy Company (which became DeMet's Candy Company in 1923), after a salesman came into the commissary's dipping room and showed a candy to one of the dippers, who pointed out that the candy looked like a turtle.

Why is turtle ice cream called turtle? ›

Because it's the white chocolate version of a turtle candy! We know you'll go nuts for the Vanilla Ice Cream, Caramel and real Pecans that go into this classic Bruster's flavor.

Why do they call them turtles? ›

The English-speaking sailors who gave us our word turtle may have in fact been largely unaware of the implications, but they apparently modeled tortu, which became turtle, on the French word tortue, which itself was from the Late Latin tartarucha.

Why is it called turtle fudge? ›

The combination of chocolate, caramel, and nuts is referred to as “turtle” for reasons unknown – we just know that these ingredients taste amazing together! This no-bake fudge is a nod to the classic turtle candy that's made with chocolate, caramel, and nuts.

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